Closing threads (automatically)?

It seems policy here to explicitly close threads when OP thinks enough information has been posted. Currently it takes time from both OP and admins to actually close the thread if OP considers it closed.

To close a thread, OP has to take significant action: decide who to send a message to, come up with a text, type it down and hit the send button. It's a lot of work, while the contents are always basically the same. If OP is the only one who can decide about this (outside of mods and admins), then it would make sense to create a link or button that allows you to request the thread to be closed. Relevant people can then take action, close the thread and be done with it. Or, if admins/mods will always close a thread upon request, why not just allow OP to close the thread directly?

If closing threads is the way to go, to me it would make sense to close a thread automatically after say 30 days of no activity, if that is not already done.

"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people." -- W.C. Fields

Why would you ever close a thread, other than if the discussion gets out of hand? If there are no more reactions to it, then fine, it is inactive. But that does not mean that at some later stage, it may be very relevant again and new information can be added. That can make the thread a more valuable resource for reference later on.

Just like mentioned in other treads and on the bug report Gerolf linked to, I prefer something that indicates that the problem is solved. This functionality will come with the QA upgrade and the reputation system we are planning.

We want to implement some "thanks" and "that did it" kind of buttons that marks a problem as solved and gives Karma to the poster that gave the final hint. How does that sound?

[quote author="Alexandra Leisse" date="1292933036"]We want to implement some "thanks" and "that did it" kind of buttons that marks a problem as solved and gives Karma to the poster that gave the final hint. How does that sound?[/quote]

[quote author="Alexandra Leisse" date="1292933036"]Just like mentioned in other treads and on the bug report Gerolf linked to, I prefer something that indicates that the problem is solved. This functionality will come with the QA upgrade and the reputation system we are planning.

We want to implement some "thanks" and "that did it" kind of buttons that marks a problem as solved and gives Karma to the poster that gave the final hint. How does that sound?[/quote]

[quote author="Alexandra Leisse" date="1292933036"]We want to implement some "thanks" and "that did it" kind of buttons that marks a problem as solved and gives Karma to the poster that gave the final hint. How does that sound?[/quote]

Really good news (just to avoid +1 response... :))

Anyway, the project elf somehow proved (at least for me) that we should somehow differentiate between "point collectors" and real helping hands.

[quote author="Alexandra Leisse" date="1292933036"]Just like mentioned in other treads and on the bug report Gerolf linked to, I prefer something that indicates that the problem is solved. This functionality will come with the QA upgrade and the reputation system we are planning.[/quote]Ah, yes, but closed doesn't really mark things as solved, which is something that may help for a while, but I fear it will cause confusion more than it solves.

[quote author="Alexandra Leisse" date="1292933036"]We want to implement some "thanks" and "that did it" kind of buttons that marks a problem as solved and gives Karma to the poster that gave the final hint. How does that sound?[/quote]Much better indeed.

"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people." -- W.C. Fields